Meet Maky, Duke's Lemur Mascot

URHAM, NC - Meet Maky (pronounced Mah-key), the newly named mascot for the Duke Lemur Center.

Maky is the word for ring-tailed lemur in Malagasy, the language of Madagascar, the island home of lemurs. It was the most popular of the four choices voted on by 324 people responding to the Lemur Center's social media campaign to name the mascot.

Yellow And Blue Pot-Bellied Penguin Plush Mascot Costume

$266.19  $185.89

The Duke Lemur Center recently purchased a new ring-tailed lemur mascot costume for local events, but when the mascot made his debut at the premier of the movie Madagascar 3 at The Streets at Southpoint, nobody knew what to call him. The Lemur Center had the new lemur costume custom made to replace the 20-year-old sifaka lemur outfit that was rapidly deteriorating.

"The new costume is a lot more pleasant," said Joel Bray, a Duke senior and volunteer at the Lemur Center. He often dons the costume to help promote awareness of the Lemur Center.

Brown Tortoise Plush Adult Mascot Cosume

$256.29  $179.29

Follow the Lemur Center on Facebook to get updates on when and where Maky will make his next appearance.

From: http://www.helenecosplay.com

Scenes from Savannah St. Patrick's Day: Part One

The city of Savannah moved to curb the pre-dawn squabbles in the squares that marked last year’s parade by stationing half-a-dozen law enforcement officers in the more popular squares during the wee hours of the morning.

The police presence proved far from foolproof, however.

The first square on the route, Calhoun, saw a stampede at 5:58 a.m. when one overeager homesteader yelled “GO!” two minutes before 6 a.m.

Hundreds of others hoping for a spot in the large, open square bull-rushed the greenspace.

Several tossed their tents, bags and coolers over the barricades that marked the parade route around the east side of the square.

One projectile reportedly caught somebody in the face and drew blood, although the cut was not deep enough to require medical attention.

“The system, as it is now, is not a good one,” said one of the pre-dawn spot claimers. “Somebody is really going to get hurt eventually.”

Just not fair

Cooper and Patrick Mahoney planned to ride in style through the parade.

But Cooper was a little upset. His brother was getting all the attention.

Everyone kept wishing them a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and he wanted to know when they would celebrate St. Cooper’s Day.

Mario revealed

Timothy “TJ” Riley wore a mascot costume  as part of the Lanier County High School marching band.

The band’s theme this year is video games, he said, including Tetris, Halo, Mortal Kombat “and Mario of course.” Even at 9 a.m. the costume was hot, and Riley pulled the head off for a little air.

With a camera pointed at him, he realized Mario’s identity was revealed.

“Someone tell the world Mario is black,” he joked.

Born to be in Savannah

Henry the “bassador” — that’s part Bassett hound and part Labrador — looked dapper in a green plaid coat and tri-color beads in Calhoun Square. A rescue dog from Rincon, he likes crowds, and he likes to dress up, said his human companion, Holly Kincaid.

“He wears a bowtie every day, and in summer, he wears seersucker,” she said. “I call him the Wal-Mart greeter of downtown.”

The only sticking point of having Henry at the parade was his love of food and drink. Kincaid looked down at one point to find him finishing off an untended bloody Mary.

“He really was born to be in Savannah,” she said.

Go big or go home

Melanie Headley, 22, is a native Savannahian who made it to her first St. Patrick’s Day parade Saturday.

Making up for lost time, her outfit would’ve made a Shriner blush.

Headley discovered the sequined green bikini top and green tutu at Civvies on Broughton and knew she had to wear them to the parade.

“It’s St. Pat’s in Savannah,” said Headley, a pastry chef at Sapphire Grill. “You have to go big or go home.”

What’s a little nine-hour drive when there’s a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah?

Trey Willoughby drove nine hours Thursday night from Lexington, Ky., so he could make it to his first Savannah St. Patrick’s Day, and the junior at the University of Kentucky hasn’t been disappointed by the experience.

“It’s been great,” he said. “We’ve been staying out on Tybee Island and last night we hit the bars. Today I even had a cop pour my beer into a cup for me. They don’t do that back at U.K.”

Of course, he had another reason to make the drive. His girlfriend, Jenna Alderman, is from Savannah.

Moments later, Alderman walked up with a friend, Tori Degroodt, and they looked bemused as he continued his news conference, especially when he said this would be the first time he appeared in the newspaper when it wasn’t the police log.

People watchers

Denver and Alberta Minor have been married 14 years and love Savannah’s festival so much, they make the four-hour drive each year from the town of Matthews, N.C., outside of Charlotte.

Denver got into the holiday spirit by dying his hair and beard completely green mascot costumes.

“We love the East Bay Inn and the people,” Alberta said of Savannah. “Truthfully, we like River Street and to watch people. People-watching is fantastic.”

King of restrooms

David Sauers marched in the parade with a plunger as his scepter. He’s the founder of Royal Restrooms, which provides upscale portable toilets for events, including about 20 private parties along the parade route.

Saturday, Royal Restrooms also provided bathrooms for a charity “Pay for pee” on River Street benefiting the Frank Callen Boys & Girls Club.

Sauers’ daughters, C.C. and Stella, carried plungers, too, though he couldn’t remember whose idea it was.

“It’s just kind of evolved,” he said.

Spending of the green

We interrupt these vignettes for the commercial portion of coverage.

First up, Larry Slageman from Knoxville, Tenn., a grizzled 30-year veteran of peddling horns, trinkets and various other souvenirs at events that include the Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, Final Four basketball games and, in his own words, “anywhere there’s thousands of people.”

He rolled into town Thursday and will leave today. On Saturday, he stationed his cart near the intersection of Hull and Bull streets at the north end of Chippewa Square and seemed to be doing a brisk trade in horns, feather boas, beads, tam-o-shanters and cotton candy.

“It’s all right,” he growled. “It’s a day’s pay.”

So, what’s the day’s biggest seller? “Anything green,” he said. “Green equals green.”

Next up are Jenny Mullins of Brooklet and Sheryl Floyd of Bloomingdale, representing Girl Scout Troop 30519 in Pooler. The two had staked out a spot on Bull Street to sell — what else? — Girl Scout cookies. By noon, they had sold about 40 cases (or 480 boxes) out of their shopping cart and were shooting for 80 cases by day’s end.

“We’re one of six troop leaders the council is allowing to sell cookies on the parade route,” Mullins said.

When told one of the other six had set up shop not far away, Floyd’s eyes narrowed. “I know,” she said. “I saw them.”

She did not seem pleased.

The hostess with the most-est

Abbi Sparks, 21, of Savannah is not exactly shy.

“Are you interviewing people?” she asked the man with the notebook. The man said he was.

“Then interview me,” she said. “I have red hair.”

The man thought that was as good a reason as any.

So Sparks, an exercise science major at Georgia College, told her tale. She has been coming to the Savannah St. Patrick’s Day celebration since she was an infant.

“My parents used to take us every year,” she said. “Now we’re at the point when they drop us off and then pick us up. That way no one drives home drunk.”

Standing near the south border of Chippewa Square, Sparks was surrounded by friends. Many friends. But not as many as last year.

“Last year I had 22 people staying with me for the weekend,” she said. “This year I limited it to 12.”

Buy: Mascot Costumes

New Miner mascot outfit helps rebuild school spirit

Linton-Stockton School Corporation's new Miner mascot worn by Micaela Hazelwood.
(By Shad Cox)

Linton-Stockton School Corporation's new Miner mascot has restored a sense of pride in the school.

The woman under the mask this year, Micaela Hazelwood, said the boy's sectional semi-final game was the perfect reveal for the new buffed up outfit.

"At the pep session (last Friday) I wore the old one, and the new uniform came in that day at school. Then Friday night, I wore the new mascot uniform," Hazelwood said.

Hazelwood said the crowd was already excited for the sectional game, and the unveiling of the mascot made the crowd go wild.

"I had so many people say you actually look like a Miner, and not like a monkey," Hazelwood added with a laugh, noting the old mascot was slightly deformed after almost two decades of use.

She added, "The high school kids loved it. One kid said it looked like I could actually intimidate the other mascots."

Hazelwood said the biggest difference between the old and new mascot uniforms is the new one is a full body suit, and features muscular arms.

"You can't tell it's a girl inside anymore," Pep Club member Hannah Kocher noted.

Pep Club member Natalie Swihart said until the sectional game, the student pep session had been almost nonexistent.

Pep Club member Brianne Karazsia added the reveal of the new mascot and realizing the school stood a chance at the sectional win really brought out the best in the student section.

"The tone kind of changed when we won the Greene County Invitational, and people realized, 'Oh, they have a chance to win'," Karazsia explained.

Cheerleader Kylie Kramer said the fans seemed to get even more into the spirit of the game with the new mascot and intensity of the Sectional win.

Kocher added the mascot is the life of the cheerleaders, and having an updated mascot has made it possible to encourage the enthusiasm even more.

The new mascot costumes has also helped raise the enthusiasm of the basketball players.

"I think it helps the basketball boys too, to have someone at the games to get the crowd pumped up," Swihart added.

The students said the new mascot would not have been possible without a grant from Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC, and the persistence of high school principal Nathan Moore.

"They've been talking about getting a new fox mascot costumes since I was a freshman," Hazelwood said.

The funds were not available at the time, but the REMC grant gave them the opportunity to replace the costume that was falling apart.

Hazelwood said Moore began searching for the perfect mascot, and once he found one he thought was suitable he took the idea around the school.

"Mr. Moore took the picture through the hallways and asked everyone what they thought. He made sure everyone liked it," Hazelwood said.

Swihart added, "Mr. Moore is probably the most pumped up. This has been a good year because the school has never had this much school spirit."

Moore noted the costume had cost more than originally anticipated, so if anyone is willing to make a donation to replenish the funds used outside of the grant can send a donation to Linton-Stockton High School.

Edmonton police still looking for 'Roary', missing mascot worth

MCNALLY HIGH SCHOOL TIGER MASCOT, "ROARY" WAS DECLARED MISSING IN NOVEMBER 2012. THE THIEF IS NOW PLAYING A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE WITH POLICE VIA A @WHERESROARY TWITTER ACCOUNT BY POSTING PICTURES OF HIMSELF WEARING THE STOLEN EDMONTON HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT COSTUME SHOPPING AND DOING OTHER THINGS IN AND AROUND EDMONTON.

Credits: TWITTER

QMI AGENCY

EDMONTON -- City cops still need help in finding a missing mascot costumes that was stolen from McNally High School.

And police say the mascot -- a tiger costume -- is worth $5,000.

"Roary" the mascot was declared missing back in November after he made an appearance at a Halloween party.

Const. Brandon Shippelt said cops put posters around the school asking students to come forward with information about Roary's whereabouts with little success.

A @WheresRoary account was set up on Twitter last month that shows the furry mascot in various locations around the city.

And after QMI Agency reported the story Saturday, the account posted an image of the article on Twitter.

The account said "this is going on my fridge for sure."

Police, however, are not laughing as their investigation into the theft continues.

Vancouver Giants rookie defenceman Arvin Atwal is both a fighter and a dancer

When it comes to comparing Arvin Atwal to Vancouver Canucks players, you see some Kevin Bieksa and, when the mood apparently suits him, a little of mascot costumes Fin.

 

Atwal, 17, has been one of those silver linings in this gloomy Vancouver Giants’ campaign.

A 6-foot, 195-pound right-handed defenceman, Atwal has the vision and booming shot to quarterback the power play for stints, and he also has the size and edgy demeanour to be a physical force in pursuit of the puck.

To boot, he’s a guy who stands up for his teammates.

He has seven fighting majors in a mere 27 games, and the majority have revolved around coming to the aid of a fellow Vancouver player.

One might argue that he’s had more daring “team-first” moments.

Specifically, last April, he filled in as Jack The Giant, pulling on the stuffed costume for a few hours at the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade.

He even busted out some of his moves from his time Bhangra dancing. He had done that for seven years before stopping to focus on hockey.

“I was like, ‘Hey, I’m a great dancer and I love kids. I could do this,’” the North Delta native recalled on Tuesday. “I did three hours, but I could have done it all day long.

“If I got asked again, I’d probably do it.”

Giants fans will undoubtedly want him to attend such events as himself.

Atwal has been playing top-four minutes with Vancouver in the past few weeks, after being promoted from the Junior B North Delta Devils in late December.

In the last 11 games, he has two goals and eight points, to go with a plus-four rating, helping last-place Vancouver to a 5-4-0-2 run in that time.

In his abbreviated season, he has three goals, 11 points and an even rating, an especially telling stat for a Vancouver team that has given up 97 more goals than it has scored on its way to a 19-46-2-0 record.

The hope had been that he would play with the Giants all season, but he had shoulder surgery in the summer and he wasn’t ready for the WHL rigours when the campaign kicked off.

He had looked to some like a throw-in for the Giants in their October 2011 trade with the Prince Albert Raiders, but Vancouver brass knew the Raiders’ 2010 eighth-round bantam pick well, since he had spent two years in the South Delta Secondary hockey academy, which is run by Giants strength and conditioning coach Ian Gallagher.

“Just being close to someone in the organization really helped,” Atwal said of joining the Giants.

The key guy for Vancouver in that trade was supposed to be a 19-year-old forward Austin Connor, but he opted to retire rather than report, and Vancouver received a 2013 fourth-round bantam pick instead.

Defenceman Tyler Hart and forward Teal Burns, both now 20, went to the Raiders in return and they’re both finishing off their eligibility in Junior A this season.

With the way Atwal is trending, it’s certainly a different-looking trade now.

“He’s confident with the puck,” Giants forward Dalton Sward, 19, said. “He tries moves that I wouldn’t try in practice.

“And, coming into the year, I didn’t see the guy as a fighter, but he’s fought some pretty tough guys and done pretty well.

“Everyone has their own way of creating energy for the team, and that’s one of his ways.”

Oddly enough, Atwal didn’t have a single bout in Junior B, where he put up five goals and 17 points in 22 games.

“I’m not trying to be a fighter,” he said. “I don’t want to be just a fighter. I want to be a complete player. I want people to know I won’t turn away when something happens.”